4. This presentation looks at methods of collaboration for
course-and program-level assessment and data-sharing to
help both faculty and program administrators. Instructors
can improve the WAC elements of their courses without
sacrificing content, while still furthering the program
mission of helping students to write well and think critically
in any discipline. Writing program administrators, on the
other hand, can improve both the writing program
implementation and the training of its faculty to teach WAC
courses. Students will benefit by experiencing WAC courses
that are clearly defined, engaging, and optimized for their
learning.
5. PCCC Writing Initiative
Title V Grant: $2.5 million over 5 years
Develop 20 Distinct, Writing Intensive
Courses (with multiple sections, across 3
campuses)
Develop and provide online resources for
technology and writing
Support students and faculty with an on-
ground writing center and online tutoring
Students required to take 2 WI courses (1
if getting AAS degree)
6. Writing Intensive Courses
19 Distinct WI courses currently
developed or in development across the
curriculum
Departments include: Computer
Information Systems, English,
Humanities, Math, and Science
Courses designed to contain writing,
critical thinking, and information literacy
elements
7. What We Assess
Students
◦ Assessed in writing, critical thinking, and information
literacy skills
◦ Assessed in the course by instructors
Courses
◦ Course materials created collaboratively in Faculty
Institutes
◦ Course materials checked and approved by WI
Administrators
Program
◦ Students assessed across courses by WI administrators
in the 3 areas
◦ Students and instructors self-assess by means of a
survey
8. How We Assess
Students
◦ Instructors: student grades
◦ Administrators: student performance on CWE
Courses
◦ Course materials collected at the beginning of each
semester
◦ Evidence of materials being used by student use of
ePortfolios
Program
◦ Student writing assessed with 3 rubrics: writing,
critical thinking, information literacy
◦ Student and faculty surveys
9. Assessing Writing
First we had to determine the criteria for
writing assessment:
◦ Appropriateness
◦ Unity & Focus
◦ Development
◦ Organization
◦ Sentence Structure
◦ Usage
◦ Mechanical Conventions
Additional criteria for course writing are
left up to individual instructors
10. Writing Rubric Student __________________________________ Assignment ______________________________________
Beginning Developing Competent Accomplished
Vocabulary/Language
appropriate to this course
Words used incorrectly;
displays fundamental errors
in vocabulary usage; lacks
variety.
Generally correct usage but
little variety; some variety
but words used incorrectly.
The majority correctly used
with some variety in
vocabulary.
Varied vocabulary; correct
and sophisticated use of
language.
Conventions
mechanics, spelling, sentence structure,
word forms
(problems noted below)
Many serious errors which
persistently interfere with
meaning.
Some serious errors that may
interfere with meaning.
A few errors which do not
interfere with meaning.
No serious errors; few
minor errors.
Organization
includes: appropriate length, order
(logical, chronological etc.) and
transitions
No clear structure;
organizational requirements
not met.
Some structure and order
evident; minimally, an
introduction, body &
conclusion present.
Generally well-organized;
clear and logical flow of
ideas. Fulfills the
assignment.
Well-organized with
appropriate structure and
smooth transitions.
Content
includes addressing the assigned topic
Lacks thesis; incomplete
development of evidence
and/or minimal relevance to
topic.
May lack thesis. Some
evidence underdeveloped or
off-topic.
Has supporting evidence
and examples for thesis.
Strong, convincing evidence
to support thesis and
argument.
Tense formation
subject-verb agreement
pronoun usage/agreement
word choice/meaning
proper modifiers
Variety of formations
correct construction
Spelling
Capitalization
punctuation
COMMENTS:
WI v10.1
Assessing Writing
11. EN 205 – Introduction to
Literature Grading Rubric
Student __________________________________ Assignment ______________________________________
Accomplished Competent Developing Beginning
Vocabulary/Language
appropriate to this course
Varied vocabulary; correct
and sophisticated use of
language.
The majority correctly
used with some variety
in vocabulary.
Generally correct usage but
little variety.
Words used incorrectly;
displays fundamental errors
in vocabulary usage; lacks
variety.
Conventions
(problems noted below)
No fundamental errors; few
minor errors.
A few errors which do
not interfere with
meaning.
Some fundamental errors
that may interfere with
meaning.
Many fundamental errors
which persistently interfere
with meaning.
Organization
includes: appropriate length, order
(logical, chronological etc.) and
transitions
Well-organized with
appropriate structure and
smooth transitions.
Generally well-
organized; follows basic
assignment guidelines;
clear and logical flow of
ideas.
Some structure and order
evident, attempt at following
assignment guidelines;
minimally, introduction,
body & conclusion.
No clear structure; does not
follow assignment guidelines;
incoherent.
Content
includes addressing the assigned topic
Strong, convincing evidence
to support thesis and
argument.
Has supporting evidence
and examples for thesis.
May lack thesis or
conclusion. Evidence
underdeveloped or off-topic.
Lacks thesis and/or
conclusion. Minimal
relevance to topic.
Citation of sources
Uses citations when
appropriate and demonstrates
mastery of formatting; goes
beyond the amount of citation
or sources required.
Uses required amount of
citations when
appropriate and uses
proper formatting most
of the time.
Uses citations infrequently
and shows inconsistent
formatting; understands
some elements of citation
but not others.
Uses little or no citation and
displays little knowledge of
formatting; clearly cannot
differentiate between most of
the elements of citation.
USAGE
Tense formation
subject-verb agreement
pronoun usage/agreement
word choice/meaning
proper modifiers
SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION
Variety of formations
correct construction
MECHANICS
Spelling
Capitalization
punctuation
COMMENTS:
Revised 11/1/2010
12. Assessing Writing
Faculty use rubric with students for
formative writing assessment
Extra space to add content or other
elements for assessment based on
assignment
WI Administrators use rubric for
summative assessment of writing (without
additional elements)
13. TOOLS: The Writing Center
The Writing Center
provides support for
students at all stages
of the writing process,
whether it is
brainstorming a topic,
structuring an essay,
or editing and
revising.
It also offers support
to students for their
Writing Intensive
courses in the forms
of face-to-face and
small group
tutoring/instruction.
14. The Writing Center
While the Writing Center made the
assessment of student writing “easier,” it
was also helpful in terms of assessing the
course.
Attendance at the Writing Center was made
mandatory. This created a direct
correlation between the outcome of
student writing and the effectiveness of a
support tool.
15. Assessing Critical Thinking
Criteria for critical thinking assessment
◦ Identifying arguments and counter-arguments
◦ Assessing validity of both sides
◦ Drawing conclusions based on those
assessments
Faculty use rubric with students for
formative critical thinking assessment
Administrators assess critical thinking
across courses (in writing assignments
that require critical thinking) using same
rubric
16. Assessing Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking Rubric STUDENT _________________________________________ Assignment ______________________________
Beginning Developing Competent Accomplished
Evidence
Biased interpretations
Insufficient search for
evidence
or inappropriate
evidence choices
Misinterprets some
evidence
Limited
information search
limited source
evaluation or
attribution
Accurately interprets the
majority of evidence
Sufficient search for
evidence
Shows some evaluation of
sources
Appropriate evidence
Accurately interprets the
evidence presented
Arguments
Fails to identify
argument
or counter-arguments
Has argument but
inadequate
identification of
relevant counter-
arguments.
Identifies relevant
argument(s)
including counter-
arguments
Identifies pertinent
arguments, pro and con
Rebuts counter arguments
Conclusion(s)
Does not reach any conclusion
justified by evidence.
Conclusion based on
incorrect, irrelevant , or
insufficient evidence
Conclusion(s) are reasonably
justified or reasonably explained.
Draws thoroughly justified
conclusions by appropriate
interpretations of evidence
Comments
V4 June 2010
17. Assess Information Literacy
Criteria for information literacy
assessment
◦ Defines and articulates need for information
◦ Information retrieval
◦ Citation of sources
◦ Evaluation of Sources
◦ Uses information effectively
Information literacy required in at least
one assignment
Assessment by faculty and administrators
using the same rubric
18. Assessing Information Literacy
Information Literacy Rubric Student ________________________ Reader ____________________ Score _____________
Beginning Developing Competent Accomplished
Defines and
articulates the need
for information
No clear statement of purpose;
does not associate information
need with the assignment
Shows purpose but not clearly
articulated; associates
information need with the
assignment but does not
articulate a thesis statement
Purpose is clearly
articulated and information
need is clearly recognized
Purpose is highly focused and/or
nuanced; thesis statement or research
question takes multiple viewpoints into
account
Information
retrieval
Retrieves little or none of the
information required for the
assignment; or, information
retrieved clearly does not meet
the information need
Retrieves some of the
information required for the
assignment; some of the
information retrieved may not
meet the information need
Retrieves the required
amount of information for
the assignment and the
majority of it meets the
information need
Retrieves much more than the
required amount to complete the
assignment; information retrieved
meets the information need; multiple
viewpoints are considered
Citation of sources Uses little or no citation and
displays little knowledge of
formatting; clearly cannot
differentiate between most of
the elements of citation
Uses citations infrequently and
shows inconsistent formatting;
understands some elements of
citation but not others
Uses citations when
appropriate and uses
proper formatting most of
the time
Uses citations when appropriate and
demonstrates mastery of formatting;
goes beyond the amount of citation or
sources required
Evaluation of
Sources
Little or no recognition of the
relevance and quality (authority,
currency, objectivity) of
information sources
Recognizes the relevance of
information sources but has
difficulty evaluating their quality
Recognizes both the quality
and relevance of
information sources
Information sources are highly relevant
and evaluation of sources is highly
nuanced
Uses information
effectively in their
writing
assignments
Uses little or no useful
information from outside
sources
Attempts to incorporate
information from outside
sources; sometimes off-topic
Uses information from
outside sources to support
the topic; shows some
synthesis with own ideas
Use of information from outside
sources is highly refined, articulated,
and synthesized with own ideas
Comments:
Revised 6/6/08
19. Assessing the Course
Course assessment is essential in
determining:
Both the quality and quantity of learning for
students
An appropriate response to their personal
development needs
Whether students have acquired the
knowledge, skills and competencies
consistent with the aims of the course
The effectiveness of the curriculum and
faculty development
20. Methods of Course Assessment
By Instructors
◦ Faculty institutes
◦ ePortfolios
◦ Course Survey
By Administrators
◦ Course materials
◦ ePortfolios
21. Course Assessment: Faculty
Institutes
Faculty Administrators
Institute Part 1
◦ Overview of Initiative
◦ Overview of WI course
components
◦ Look at course as it
stands for writing, critical
thinking and information
literacy elements
◦ Begin development of
new materials with
rubrics and templates
Institute Part 1
◦ Collect current course
materials (syllabus and
assignments)
◦ Assist in development
of new materials
◦ Collect and file new
materials
◦ Survey faculty on
success of workshop
components
22. Faculty Institutes
Faculty Administrators
Institute Part 2
◦ Some materials tested
in regular section of
courses
◦ Materials refined based
on in-course testing
◦ More materials
developed
◦ Integration of media
and other resources
Institute Part 2
◦ Discuss piloting of
materials from part 1
◦ Assist in refining
materials and
development of new
materials
◦ Assist in incorporating
media, other resources
and support services
23. Assessing the Initiative
The program is assessed for
accomplishment of its goals
◦ For faculty development
◦ For student development
Methods of Program Assessment
◦ ePortfolios
◦ Student Survey
◦ Faculty Survey
◦ Focus Groups
24. ePortfolio Information
Electronic portfolios offer three distinct benefits:
1) They are a creative, lively form in which to
show a student’s best work;
2) They allow students to gain an awareness of a
larger audience (a portfolio can be published on an
intranet or the Internet or saved to a CD and given
to college representatives, employers, or anyone a
student wants to impress);
3) They can evolve and grow over a student’s entire
academic career.
"From Worn-Out to Web - Based : Better Student Portfolios." Phi Delta Kappan 85.10
(June 2004): 792-794. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. [Library name], [City],
[State abbreviation]. 27 Aug. 2009
<http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=13292501&site
=ehost-live>.
25. ePortfolio Information
The portfolio not only offers a tool for authentic
assessment but also a means for students to be
reflective practitioners, emphasizing the how and
why as much as the what. Time spent in portfolio
assessment is not time taken away from teaching
or academics, but time refocused and redefined,
with the portfolio viewed as a natural
complement to learning.
Lombardi, Judy. "To Portfolio or not to Portfolio: Helpful or Hyped?." College Teaching
56.1 (Winter2008 2008): 7-10. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. [Library name],
[City], [State abbreviation]. 27 Aug. 2009
<http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=31161341&site
=ehost-live>.
26. ePortfolio Information
Assessment findings derived from students, tutors,
and teachers indicate that electronic portfolios have
had several positive effects on student learning.
These portfolios vividly record writing as a process,
providing students and teachers with an effective
means of assessing the development of that process
over a semester. In addition, they effectively display
the final results of the semester, including a student’s
self-assessments in the form of written reflections.
Click, Ben A., and Sarah C. Magruder.. "Implementing Electronic Portfolios for
Performance Assessment:A Pilot Program Involving a College Writing Center."
Assessment Update 16.4 (July 2004): 1-15. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO.
[Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 27 Aug. 2009
<http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=13998617&site
=ehost-live>.
27. Assessment via ePortfolios
Faculty Administrators
Used for student and
course assessment
Students upload all formal
assignments to portfolios
Allows instructors to look
at student progress
throughout the course
Students write reflections
on various aspects of the
course, or on the course
as a whole
Used for course and
program assessment
Random selection of
portfolios to review across
courses
10% of portfolios
assessed
Look at assignments for
writing, critical thinking,
and information literacy
elements
29. Course Survey
Used by instructor for course assessment
Provides the instructor with feedback from
his or her students
Through narrowly focused questions,
specific feedback is received on:
◦ Exact assignment
◦ Support systems in place (i.e. The Writing
Center, eTutoring.org)
◦ Text (book and reading selections)
◦ Instructor
◦ Grading Rubric
30. Student Survey & Results
1. When you registered for this course, were you
aware that it was a Writing Intensive course?
68% Yes
2. What is your overall opinion of the material
covered in the course?
3. Would you take another WI course? 93% Yes
4. What is your experience with eTutoring.org?
5. What is your experience with the Writing
Center?
6. What did you like best about this course?
7. What, if anything, would you
change/add/remove from the course?
31. Student Testimonials
“I like to read more because of this class
and Professor Bender.”
“I never thought I was going to have so
much fun in a Literature course or on an
intensive writing course. I’m glad it was a
great experience.”
I definitely improved my writing skills. I
think if this was just an intro to lit class it
would be boring, the writing is what made
it fun. I feel so much more confident in my
writing.”
32. WI Student Survey
Used by WI Administrators for program
assessment
Conducted across all WI courses
Neither students nor courses identified
Allows students to report on various
aspects of the WI experience
◦ Workload
◦ Support services
◦ Self-assessment on improvement in writing,
critical thinking and information literacy
33. WI Student Survey Results
Were you aware that you registered for a WI
course?
◦ 57% Yes
◦ 43% No
Rating of services
◦ eTutoring
Excellent or Good 68.2%
Fair or Poor 20.5%
Did not use 11.4%
◦ Writing Center
Excellent or Good 62.2%
Fair or Poor 6%
Did not use 31.8%
34. WI Student Survey Results
Rating of services
◦ Libguides
Excellent or Good 50.4%
Fair or Poor 13.5%
Did not use 36.1%
◦ ePortfolios
Excellent or Good 44.7%
Fair or Poor 24.2%
Did not use 31.1%
Rating of skills
◦ Writing
Improved 71.5%
About the same 27.7%
35. WI Student Survey Results
Rating of skills
◦ Information literacy
Improved 63.4%
About the same 31.3%
◦ Critical Thinking
Improved 66.4%
About the same 29.1%
◦ Technology
Improved 50.7%
About the same 42.5%
36. Faculty Survey
All WI Faculty surveyed
Survey administered online, anonymous
Allows faculty to report on services offered in
the Writing Initiative
◦ Institutes
◦ Professional development opportunities
◦ Support services
Faculty report on observations of student
improvement in the three areas
Report on own improvement in technology
and media use and use of support services
37. Faculty Survey Results
Familiar with Initiative goals for students
◦ Use the writing process: 100%
◦ Support of claims with specific evidence: 89%
◦ Edit writing according to the rules of standard
academic English: 100%
◦ Evaluate sources for credibility and academic
appropriateness: 89%
◦ Employ techniques for integrating information:
67%
◦ Exhibit the ability to think critically: 100%
◦ Cite sources using an appropriate
documentation style: 89%
38. Faculty Survey Results
100% found the goals helpful for improving
student learning
67% used rubrics for evaluation before
teaching a WI course
87% used rubrics for evaluation in WI
courses
33% made use of available tutoring
services for their classes before teaching
WI courses
39. Faculty Survey Results
100% incorporated tutoring into their WI
courses
67% felt their students were more
comfortable doing and integrating
research after taking a WI course
78% felt their students were more aware
of critical thinking after taking a WI
course
89% felt that WI components had value
for their other courses
40. Focus Groups
Conducted by Institutional Research
Recorded discussion of strengths and
weaknesses of program
WI Administrators and WI Faculty met
separately
IR wrote report analyzing the results for
each group and making recommendations
41. Focus Group Results
Faculty Administrators
Felt that there were too
many technological
elements required in
the course
Wanted an increase in
communication among
WI faculty. They felt
well-supported by the
staff and often
communicated with
them, however.
Desire more help from
the college community
as a whole to overcome
obstacles to program
success
See communication,
especially among
faculty and program
administrators, as key
to program success
42. For the Future
Intro. to Literature Writing Initiative
Work more closely with
counselors/registrar/
advisors to ensure that
students are aware of the
course they are taking
Possibly incorporate more
use of the Writing Center
Increase the amount of
available tech support to
allow for easier ePortfolio
use
Better marketing of WI
courses to students
Better marketing of the
Writing Center to students
Better marketing of
professional development
opportunities to WI
faculty
Allow faculty to use either
paper or online portfolios
for their classes